Bull control



Sept. 8, 1942'. E. L. sPARKHAN BULL coNTRoL 'Filed Jan. 9, 1941 @w am,

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 UNiTE STATES PATENT OFFICE BULL CONTROL Ervin L.Sparkman, Three Rivers, Tex. Application January 9, 1941, Serial No.373,848

(Cl. 11S- 142) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of bull controladapted to be applied to and worn on the head of a bull for preventingthe bull from tearing through or under fences or gates.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a novel formof bull control having means for readily adjusting the device tocorrectly and comfortably fit the head of a bull and having a portionthereof connected to a ring disposed in the bulls nose and which isadapted to be actuated by engagement with a fence or gate should thebull attempt to tear through or beneath the fence or gate to cause themovement of said portion to apply a pull to the nose ring.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide a bull control soconstructed that it can be comfortably worn by a bull and will notirritate or chafe the head or face of the bull and wherein the partthereof connected to the nose ring will be so supported as to apply nopull or pressure on the nose ring until or unless the bull attempts totear through or under a fence or gate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, whichillustrates preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the bull control applied tothe head of a bull and in its normal position,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the bull control,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View of the bull control takensubstantially along the plane indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the bull controltaken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FigureV1,

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of meansfor attaching the device to the head of the bull, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane of theline 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views, I0 designates generally the bull control, comprisingthe invention, and which is shown in Figure 1 in an applied position onthe head of a bull, designated generally II.

The bull control I0 includes a forehead engaging band I2 which isadapted to be disposed across the forehead and which is provided with aplurality of spaced openings I3 `at each end thereof. A strip ofcushioning material I4, such as rubber, felt or the like is disposed onthe inner side of the intermediate portion of the band I2 and connectedthereto by the fastenings I5 for holding the band I2 out of directcontact with the forehead for preventing the band from irritating orchafing the forehead. A rod I6 is shaped, as illustrated in Figure 3, toengage around the back of the head II and is provided withcorrespondingly arranged substantially parallel threaded ends II whichare adapted to be selectively positioned in the openings I3 at the endsof the band I2. Each of the threaded ends I'I is provided with a pair ofnuts I8 for engaging opposite sides of the band I2 for retaining the rodI6 in adjusted positions relatively thereto. The intermediate portion ofthe rod I6 which engages the backv of the head II is encased in aflexible tube of suitable cushioning material such asy rubber,designated I9. The band I2 and the rod I6 are formed of malleable metalwhich can be shaped to iit the head of the bull.

A metal strap 20 is secured by the fastenings 2| to the intermediateportion of the forward side of the forehead band I2 and is providedintermediate of its ends with an outwardly offset portion 22 which formswith the complementary portion of the forehead band I2 an elongated slot23 for receiving the intermediate portion of an elongated metal bar 24which is disposed therein sufciently loose, as seen in Figures 3, 4 and5, so that the bar 24 can slide freely up and down or transversely ofthe forehead band I2. However, the bar 24 is sufficiently wide so thatit will be prevented from turning or swiveling in the slot 23. The lowerportion of the bar 24 is disposed along the front of the face of thebull and said lower portion is provided adjacent its lower end with anopening 25 for receiving a split ring or link 26 which is looselyconnected to a ring 21 disposed in the nose of the bull for looselyconnecting the bar 24 to the ring 21. The bar 24, adjacent its lower endis provided with a pad 28 of cushioning material and which, may be of amaterial corresponding to the cushioning strip I4, and which is disposedon the inner side of the bar 24 and connected thereto by a fastening 29for engaging the nose of the bull and for holding the lower portion ofthe bar 24 out of engagement with the face and the nose. The bar 24extends substantially above the head II, as illustrated in Figure 1, andas seen in Figure 2, the upper end of the bar 24 is bent forwardly anddownwardly to form a hook 30. The intermediate portion of the bar 24 isprovided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 3| forselectively receiving a nut and bolt fastening 32 which rests upon theupper edge of the forehead band I2 to limit the downward movement of thebar 24.

In Figures 5 and 6 a modified form of means for mounting the foreheadband l2 is illustrated wherein the rod I6 and the tube I9 are dispensedwith and in lieu thereof a pair of ring or eye bolts 33 are provided.The rings or eyes 34 of the ring or eye bolts 33 are relatively largeand are adapted to engage over the horns 35 adjacent the head Il. Thering or eye bolts 33 also include threaded shanks extend throughopenings I3 in the ends of the band forehead of the bull and it will bereadily apparent that the band I2 will act to retain the eye bolts 33 inengagement with the-horns 35. The threaded shanks 36 are provided withnuts I8 disposed on opposite sides of the band I2 for adjustably`positioning the band I2 relatively to the head II.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when the bull control I0 isin position on the head II, mounted either by means of the rod I6 or theeye bolts 33, the bar 24 will be supported in adjusted positions bymeans of the band I2 and the fastening 32 so that it will not bear onthe nose ring 21 to irritate the bull and so that the ring v2'I due toits loose connection to the bar 24 through the ring 26 can move freelyto a limited degree relatively to the `bar 24. As previously stated thestrip I4 and the tube I9 will prevent the band I2 and the rod I6,respectively, from irritating the upper portion of the head of the bulland the pad 28 will prevent the lower portion of the bar 24 from changor irritating the nose and face of the bull.w However, should the bullattempt to tear through or under a fence or gate the hook 30 will engagea portion of the fence or gate, not shown, to cause an upward pull onthe bar 24 which, is mounted to slide freely upwardly, to thereby applyan upward pull on the nose ring 21 which will provide an effective curbto deter the bull from attempting further Vmovement through or under thefence or gate and for discouraging a repetition of this action.

The manner of attaching or detaching the forehead band by either themeans I6 or 33 is obvious, and the split ring or link 26 can forconnecting it to the nose ring 2'I so that the nose ring does not haveto be applied or removed with the bull control I0 and it is consequentlya simple matter to either apply or remove the bull control I0 and toadjust it to fit the head II. i

While the device I0 is designed especially for use on bulls it mayobviously be used on any unruly cattle.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to as only preferred embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed.

I2 for detachably mounting the band on thev be readily opened 1 36 whichare adapted to y nose of the bull and of its ends, a bar Iii I claim asmy invention:

1. A bull control comprising a supporting member including a foreheadengaging band disposed across the forehead of a bull, means foradjustably and detachably mounting the band thereon, said band having aslotted portion intermediate of its ends, a bar having an intermediateportion slidably mounted in said slotted portion and solely attachedthereby to the supporting member, the lower portion of said bar beingadapted to be disposed in front of the face of the bull, means adaptedfor detachably and loosely connecting the lower end of the bar to a ringdisposed inthe at a point a substantial distance from the forehead band,said first mentioned means comprising a rod shaped to engage around theback of the head of the bull and provided with threaded ends, and saidforehead band having spaced openings at its ends for selectivelyreceiving the threaded ends of said rod, said threaded ends beingprovided with nuts for detachably connecting the rod to the foreheadband.

2. A bull control comprising a supporting member including a foreheadengaging band disposed across the forehead of a bull, means foradjustably and detachably mounting the band thereon, said band having aslotted portion intermediate having an intermediate portion slidablymounted in said slotted portion and solely attached thereby to thesupporting member, the lower portion of said bar being adapted to bedisposed in front of the face of the bull, means adaptedfor detachablyand loosely connecting the lower end of the bar to a ring disposed inthe nose of the bull and at a point a substantial distance from theforehead band, said forehead band being provided with spaced openingsatits ends, said first mentioned means comprising eye bolts, the eyes ofsaid bolts being adapted to engage the horns of the bull, and thethreaded Shanks of the bolts being adapted to selectively engage theopenings in the ends of the forehead band and having nuts for detachablyconnecting the band thereto.

3. A bull control comprising a supporting member including a foreheadengaging band adapted to be disposed across the forehead of a bull andhaving a slotted intermediate portion, a bar having an intermediateportion slidably engaging said slotted portion, the lower part of thebar being adapted to be disposed in front of the face of the bull, meansfor loosely connecting the lower end of the bar to a ring disposed inthe nose of the bull, the upper end of the bar extending substantiallyabove the head of the bull and terminating in a forwardly extendinghook, and abutment means adjustably carried by the bar for engaging theforehead band to limit the downward sliding movement of the bar so thatthe weight of the bar will be supported by the band to prevent adownward pull on the nose ring.

ERVIN L. SPARKMAN.

